1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to pipe cleaning machines, and more particularly to a machine for storing and rotatably feeding and retracting, either by hand or by electric motor, a flexible plumbers' snake formed of helically wound spring wire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several types of hand and power driven pipe clean out machines have been developed in the past. Most of the machines, which have enjoyed commercial success, are either very small hand operated machines or comparatively large motor operated machines. The small hand operated machines are frequently unsuitable for cleaning out severe blockages or blockages which occur in longer lengths of sewer drain lines at a remote location from the clean-out plug. Conversely, the prior art power operated clean out tools are generally quite large and frequently are too cumbersome and too difficult to operate to be practical for use by the untrained operator or home owner.
One of the most successful of the larger power operated pipe cleaning machines is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,592, issued to Robert G. Hunt. Another hightly successful type cleaning machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,295, issued to the present inventor. This machine, like the Hunt machine, however, is fairly large and, like the Hunt machine, embodies a fixedly mounted electric motor. Accordingly, neither of the aforementioned machines can be conveniently hand operated.
As will become apparent from the discussion which follows, in the machine of the present invention the drum which houses the snake can be rotated either by a separately provided standard type electric hand drill or by a hand crank arrangement. The electric drill can be quickly and easily connected to a first drive shaft using the drill chuck provided on the electric drill. Alternatively, the hand crank can readily be detachably interconnected with a second drive shaft for small clean out jobs that do not require any type of power drive.
An additional advantage of the construction of the machine of the present invention is that the machine is very small, compact, and lightweight. Accordingly, it can be easily operated by the untrained home owner using a small hand drill of the character typically found in the home work shop. Alternatively, for small jobs such as cleaning a clogged trap or the like, the machine can be conveniently operated by hand.